Met Your Valentine Online? Have a Cyber-Safe Date!
Introduction
Have you ever downloaded a dating app?
Slid into someone’s DMs on social media?
Made a dating profile on a website like eHarmony?
Romance schemes affect over 70,000 people every year, with billions lost globally!
So if you’re talking to someone online or plan to do so, remember not to let your heart get your guard down. When it comes to online dating, cybersecurity is key.
The Nature of Romance Scams
From Tinder to Raya to Plenty of Fish, the Internet is awash in your choice of dating services…but it doesn’t stop there. Romance scams don’t just happen on specific dating apps; threat actors create profiles on every social media website. See, the basis of any romance scam is social engineering.
Here’s how it works.
“Catfish” invent fake profiles, sometimes stealing real people’s identities by using their names and faces. This makes their posts and message seem more legitimate. Some catfish even create multiple profiles and have them interact, bolstering the lie.
People who hide their identity online often get their targets to care about them. That typically involves forming a romantic connection. Getting involved in a relationship with the victim makes them more likely to send money, share account credentials, and provide personal information that you would not give a stranger, or even a casual associate.
Romance schemes effectively make the victims lower their guard. The most dangerous part is that threat actors can target you with these schemes from anywhere in the world.
Staying Safe From Scams While Keeping the Romance Alive
The best way to avoid a romance scam? Stay alert!
You shouldn’t share your personal information, financial details, or private data with ANYONE—whether it’s online or somebody you know in the real world.
Especially be wary of sending money to someone you haven’t met in person. It’s easier to get swindled with online transfers, which never guarantee a refund. Romance phishers use excuses like needing a new phone to FaceTime, car repairs so they can visit, and money for hospital bills to garner sympathy and milk their victims for money.
Trying to invoke urgency is the fastest way that threat actors make you lose your better judgment. If someone pushes you to act without thinking, that’s the best time to slow down and reassess what you know.
Conclusion
When it comes to online dating, three out of every ten people meet their partner over the internet. It’s more commonplace than bizarre nowadays. The prevalence of online dating can, however, desensitize users to the potential dangers out there. Dating sites are like any other social media platform, and threat actors will leverage these services to their advantage.
Nevertheless, you can stay safe while finding “the one” on the world wide web. Even if you think you like someone, don’t send hundreds or even thousands to someone you’ve never met…and definitely don’t do it over unencrypted, insecure channels. After all, even people you know in real life can take advantage of you financially.
Safe and happy online dating!
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